The Carbon County Commissioners were visited by local royalty on Wednesday evening during their regularly scheduled inaugural 2018 commission meeting. Recently crowned Miss Carbon County Mikelle Monson, joined by pageant director Kylie Howes, greeted commissioners excitedly to update them on what the 2018 year looks like for her and the rest of the pageant winners.
Monson began by informing the commissioners and listening crowd that the organization has served the community for over 60 years and is a branch off of the Miss America organization.
“We don’t wear this crown just because it’s pretty,” Monson stated.
The four points of the crown, as explained by Monson, represent service, scholarship, style and success. She also stated that the organization provides opportunities for young women to be involved in the community. Monson then announced to the commissioners her platform: Empowered decision making for success. She stated that she would like to empower people to make more positive decisions.
Monson is dedicated to encouraging youth not to party and get in bad situations but to rather focus their efforts on more positive influences for a better future. She also then spoke to commissioners about the upcoming events and fundraisers that she has been working collectively with the other winners on to organize. All nine winners are dancers, so they have decided to organize a dance camp that will give local youth the opportunity to work with the royalty and stylize their solos for competitions.
Monson stated that the commissioners and community have always been so supportive of the royalty and requested that they continue that this year. The state pageant this year will be June 11-16 and prep work has already begun. The entrance fee is over $1,000 for contestants and Monson shared an invoice breakdown of the cost with the commissioners, who unanimously agreed to put forth a donation.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for you to represent Carbon County,” said commissioner Jake Mellor.